Federal employee union opposes controversial Indiana law

Last week Indiana passed a law that supporters say would prevent state and local governments from interfering in someone’s religion, while opponents say it would give private businesses a blank check to discriminate against LGBT people.

Well, either way, you probably heard about it.

Now, the American Federation of Government Employees has formed an opinion on the new law, denouncing it as an open door to state-sponsored discrimination.

“Allowing businesses to discriminate against members of the LGBT community or anyone else is wrong, regardless of the reason. Our nation repudiated legal discrimination more than 50 years ago, and we’re not going back,” said Augusta Thomas, AFGE’s national vice president for women’s and fair practices departments.

“This is the same kind of discriminatory behavior that once targeted African Americans, when we were forced to attend separate schools, use separate bathrooms, and drink from separate water fountains than whites,” Thomas said.

“Growing up in the segregated South, I experienced intolerance, bigotry and prejudice firsthand. Discrimination is a part of America’s history, but we cannot allow it to be part of our future.”

“Laws permitting discrimination and intolerance in any form or fashion have no place in America today,” AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said. “I join with the legions of people from all walks of life who are voicing their outrage at this discriminatory law and urge Indiana lawmakers to repeal this despicable action at once.”